1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paper discharge apparatus connected to a digital outputting device (e.g., copy machine or a printer) to arrange and stack paper. In particular, the present invention relates to a paper discharge apparatus capable of optimizing the moving path of a stapler provided at the rear of the paper discharge apparatus by effectively constructing the structure of the paper discharge apparatus that discharges paper onto a stacker tray.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A paper discharge apparatus 20 capable of safely transferring paper onto a stacker tray by using a griper is disclosed in Korean Patent Registration No. 405324.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, after receiving and arranging paper transferred from a digital outputting device (not shown), the paper discharge apparatus 20 according to the related art discharges the paper onto the stacker tray while gripping the paper.
The paper discharge apparatus 20 includes a paper stacking plate 5, guide side plates 3, which are provided on a central portion of the paper stacking plate 5 in opposition to each other while being spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance and formed in inner surfaces thereof with rail grooves 3a and at predetermined regions of both lateral sides thereof with curved cams 3b having the radius of curvature, and a paper gripping unit 21 gripping paper received on the paper stacking plate 5 when making contact with the curved cams 3b while moving along the rail grooves 3a of the paper stacking plate 5.
The paper gripping unit 21 includes a fixing shaft 12 having end portions and movable along the rail grooves 3a in the state that the end portions are fitted into the rail grooves 3a perpendicularly to the rail grooves 3a, a grip support plate 2 coupled with the fixing shaft 12, and a gripper 1 including first and second extension portions in which a boundary region between first and second extension portions 1a and 1b is coupled with the grip support plate 2 through a pin 16 so that the first and second extension portions 1a and 1b are rotated at a predetermined angle about the grip support plate 2, and the first extension portion 1a making contact with the grip support plate 2 through an elastic member.
In addition, the paper gripping unit 21 includes a driving unit 22 allowing the paper gripping unit 21 to circulate along the rail grooves 3a. 
In the paper discharge apparatus 20 having the above structure, since an aligning stopper 44 for discharged papers is integrated with an end portion of the guide side plate 3, the grip support plate 2 and the gripper 1 must be aligned behind the aligning stopper 44 in order to allow the paper gripping unit 21 to grip paper.
If the grip support plate 2 and the gripper 1 of the paper gripping unit 21 are aligned behind the aligning stopper 44, when a stapler 33 acting as a paper finishing apparatus is installed in a limited region, the moving path of the stapler 33 must be curved to prevent the stapler 33 from interfering with the paper gripping unit 21 when the stapler 33 moves, as shown in FIG. 1.
If the moving path of the stapler 33 is curved, the moving time of the stapler 33 may be delayed.
In addition, since another device cannot be installed in the movement space of the stapler 33, there is limitation to reduce the size of an apparatus.